Crate



April 30, 1957 AQ l.. wHl'roN E1- AL 2,790,544

CRATE:

Filed Aug. 2, 1954 s sheets-sheet 1 April 30, 1957 A. wHlToN ET AL 2,790,544

3 Sheeis-Sheef. 3

April 3o, 1957 A. L. wi-nToN r-:r AL

"CRATE Filed Aug. 2, '1954 Afl nire CRATE Appiication August 2, 1954, Serial No. 447,344

3 Claims. (Cl. 20G-46) This invention relates to a shipping container or the like which provides tremendous stacking and crushing strength while also affording complete protectionagainst the ingress of dirt or debris. Specifically, this invention relates to a shipping and storage crate forvrefrigerators, washing machines, driers, or the like heavy and bulky cabinet structures which are composed of wood and corrugated paper board, with the wooden components arranged to provide maximum strength for the minimum amount of material.

Heretofore, known wood reinforced corrugated board shipping crates have had the wood reinforcing cleats or slats on the outside of the crate. It has been observed that stresses incurred in the stacking of such crates -tend to place the corrugated board under compression loads. Since corrugated paper board has very little resistance to compression, the board in such crates has actedmerely as a dust seal or cover. Any attempts to utilize 'some of the strength of the paper board for enhancing the strength of the crate has required the use of padding between the packaged goods and the board or has permitted the direct seating of the board on the packaged goods. This practice, of course, results in the loading of the contents of the crate when the crate is loaded,thereby enhancing the chances of damaging the packaged lgoods or at least subjecting it to undesired stresses which may tend to cause warpage.

Moreover, the cleats had to be notched in many places, thus decreasing the strength of the cleats and increasing construction costs. Furthermore, the manufacturingvof the cleats was complicated by necessitating more production problems while placing an undue burden on assembling the crates when crating the packaged goods.

The present invention now provides a cleatedV kcorrugated board crate which places the corrugatedV board under tension when the crate is loaded and which does notrequire packing or other inserts to maintain the crate components in spaced relation from the packaged goods, and which is indeed very simple to manufacture and assemble.

ln the specific preferred embodiment ofthe invention, a refrigerator to be packaged has its bottom bolted to its skid and its back bolted to a transverse vcrate bar.

VThe skid is composed of three equally spaced Yparallel wooden slats resting on a single sheet of corrugated board to form a closed bottom for the crate. The corrugated board, in turn, rests upon a'pair of spaced 'external slats `in right angle relation to the internal slats andisi'secured thereto to form a rectangular frame. The router `internal vslats have notched corners and the corrugated board has integral folding iiaps extending from the four sides thereof.

The 'back wall of the refrigerator hasfa :crate bar bolted transversely thereacross adjacent the '.top. of .theprefrigerator and a pair of inclined wooden Vspacer bars :are

disposed between the crate bar and-the backwallfsofas to hold the crate bar in rearwardly spacedn'elation from the refrigerator.V Afour-sided wrap-around woodcleated Acorrugated board abutting memberhas tounverticalonup.-

States Patent FO Slat-:arrangement `is` desirable ffver'fwideriing he s n 2,790,544 ratenred .Apr-V 30, 1957 right wooden cleats secured to the `inside facethereof at the corner forming portions of the body. The bottoms of theseupright cleats t in the notches of the slat boards. The crate bar has bifurcated and notched end portions which cooperate with a Z-shaped plate member to securely engage the cleats adjacent the rear corners of the body member. VBolts pass through the crate bar, the plate members and the spacer members, and threadedly engage nuts secured to theinside wall ofthe refrigerator. Folding flaps are provided to the top and bottom ends of the body member and beyond the cleats a seamsforming ap is provided on one end edge of the body to overlap `the other end edge. The top assembly, composed of a plywood or wood veneerpanel with cleats on the inner face thereof forming a rectangular frame and providing notches to receive the upper end of the `vertical -or upright cleats, is covered witha single sheet of corrugated board having folding flaps extending beyond thepanel on the four sides thereof. Flaps fof the body and the top and bottom assembly interlocked to form dust-tight seals and the resulting interlock seams are held tightly against the body member by wrapped around metal straps. The cleats utilized by the body member and the cover are of the same dimension except for variance inflength, which constitutes simplicity in construction and assemblage, thus decreasing the cost thereof. Since the cleats are not weakened in anyway such as by notching, they can be of a smaller size, saving considerable on the ycost kof the material while reducing the crate weight, thus lessening the shipping charges.

From the above description, itshould be understood that the crate of the preferred kembodiment of this invention only contacts the back of the refrigerator'through the two spacer boards. The entire remaining components of the crate are spaced from the refrigerator and are so ICC \ rigidied that they will not beldeected into contact with bodyand thetop and bottom assembliesare tight. The

vertical cleats have their top and bottom ends on wood and yet any external shocks to these cleats must. come to theshock absorbing corrugated board.

The wooden plywood or veneer top panel for the cover boardassembly, cooperates with therectangular wooden bottom skid assemblies to provide a virtual-platform which is substantially puncture-proof and will carry `loads which are misaligned from the upright cleats.

In a `modification where -the crate is primarily utilized in the packaging ofY smaller cabinet structures such as washers, driers or the like, which need only be secured to a bottom platform, an assembled tubular member is substituted for the wrap-around tubular member described in thegpreceding paragraph. Additional score lines are arranged on the front and rear walls so that the corrugated paper board Ican be folded over the adjacent cleats. The end ap on the rear wall is then fastened -to the vertical cleat on the adjacent sidewall forming a vfiat, 'compact'unit, 'thereby decreasing the storage requirements. The assembling of this crate begins with securing thefbottom platformY to Vthecabin'et and-lowering Vgfrorrr'above the tubular body member onto the bottom hl'eswould 'by necessity be placed `too close cir-beyond the inside edges of the mounting slatsf a itwo section lat, whereby the costsof.materialen-lower iidfthelwightis greatly reduced; The inner section on which the cabinet is secured is appropriately spaced laterally from the outer notched section.

/It is Vthen an object of this invention to provide a shipping container which cannot have rubbing contact with the packaged goodsland which affords maximum strength per unit weight. Y l t A further object of this invention is to provide a shipping crate composed of wood cleated corrugated board wherein therwood cleats are disposed inside the crate Iend vvhen loaded will place the corrugated board under tens1on.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate heretofore required padding and corrugated board reinforce ment members in a crate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide sealingiaps on the top and bottom assemblies of the crate to tie all four sides of the upright body member of the crate together to cause the same to work in unison.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wood veneer or multieply wood panel assembly for the top of a corrugated paper board crate to enhance the puncture resistance of the assembly and form a platform type supporting surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide corner cleats supporting a plywood top for a wood cleated corrugated paper board crate to eliminate possible puncture of the paper board from loads carried by the cleats.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ply- Wood top for cleated corrugated board crates which will resist distortion and collapse.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cleated corrugated board crate wherein vertical cleats are backed by wooden skids and cannot break through the corrugated bottom of the crate.

A further object is to provide a cleated corrugated board crate which provides the goods packed therein with a dust-tight seal and which relieves all stresses from the corrugated board during the normal loads imposed on the crate while utilizing the tensile strength of the corrugated board to assist the cleats in supporting abnormal loads without transmitting any of the load to the goods themselves.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplilied and easily constructed crate bar assembly for securing the wrap-around tubular portion to the side of the cabinet structure so that the weight of the crate may be materially reduced and the assembly time substantially decreased.

Another object is to provide a standardization of the cleats utilized in the cover and the tubular body member and to eliminate the necessity of notching the vertical cleats, thereby allowing the use of smaller sized cleats, further reducing the cost of material and the weight of the crate. V

Another object is to provide a modified tubular body member which is constructed as a tube, and folded at for shipment, thereby decreasing the storage requirements.

A further object is to provide a modified platform skid member whereby the slats on which a cabinet is bolted are divided into two spaced parts so that the bolt holes may be substantially centered on the inner part without widening the slats.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following de tailed description of the attached sheet-s of drawings which, by way of a preferred example only, illustrate one embodiment of the invention and two slightly changed modifications of this embodiment.

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the crate of this in vention in its assembled form;

Figure 2 is 'a cross-sectional view, with parts in top v rplamtakenalong lines II`II` of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the wrap-around body por- Y tion forming the side walls of the crate;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along lines lV-iV of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a bottom or inside plan View of the cover or top portion of the crate;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the platform or bottom portion of the crate;

Figure 7 is an enlarged elevational view, with some parts omitted, taken along lines VII- VH of Figure l;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along lines VIII-VH1 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the Z-shaped metal plate member;

Figure l0 is a View similar to Figure 3, showing a modified arrangement of the score lines enabling the tubular member to be folded into a flat unit;

Figure `ll is an end elevational view of the tubular member in its folded form ready for shipment;

Figure l2 is an elevational side view of the tubular member being lowered over a cabinet structure onto a platform skid; and

Figure 13 is a top plan view of a modified platform skid member having a two-piece internal slat.

As shown on the drawings:

The crate 10 of Figure l includes a substantially square tubular body 11, a bottom assembly 12 and a top assembly or cover 13. A metal strap 14 secures the bolted joint between the bottom 12 and the body 11, while a second metal strap 15, is provided around the joint between the cover 13 and the top of body 11. If desired, the dat straps 14 and 15 may be replaced with conventional wire binding strands. Any strong strand material is useful.

As shown in Figure 3, the body 11 is composed of a single fiat rectangular sheet 16 of corrugated paper board of the type conventionally used for shipping containers.

The sheet 16 has vertical score or fold lines 17 at spaced parallel intervals to provide a side wall 18, a front wall 19, a second side wall 20, a rear wall 21, and an end ap f 22. The top and bottom edges of the sheet are slotted at 23 at the ends of the vertical scorelines 17 to provide a folding aps 24 at the top and bottom ends of each of the wall portions 18, 19, 20 and 21. Spaced parallel double scorelines 2S extend across the inner ends of the aps to provide a ap portion 24a therebetween which will afford an end wall when the flap is folded, thereby accommodating an inserted flap.

Two narrow wooden cleats 26 are secured by fasteners or the like to the inner face of the side wall 20 adjacent the vertical scoreline 17, between the walls 19 and 20, and 20 and 21, while similar cleats 26a are secured in like fashion to side wall 18, one being adjacent the scoreline 17 between walls 18 and 19, While the other being adjacent the parallel free edge thereof. Suitable fasteners 28, such as nails, staples, stitching, adhesive bonds, or the like, o r any combination of such fasteners unite the cleats to the corrugated sheet 16. The term -fasteners as used herein is therefore intended to cover such devices and bonds. Cleats 26 and 26a have flat ends terminating slightly inward from the inner fold lines 25;

As shown in Figure 6, the bottom assembly 12 of the crate 10 is composed of a pair of spaced parallel bottom wooden Askids 31, a single sheet 32 of corrugated board disposed over the skids 31 and a pair of spaced parallel wooden slats 33, in right angular relation to the skids 31 anddisposed over the corrugated board 32 and the skids. A narrower wooden slat 34 is also disposed over the skids 31 extending parallel to slats 33 and intermediately thereof providing additional support for the cabinet structure resting thereon and bracing the skids 31. Fasteners such as nails, staples or the like, unite the 1skids' 31 and slats 33 and slat 34 while clamping the cor- Vrugate'cl .board 32 therebetween. This forms a rectangular wooden frame having the skids 31 on the 'outer face of the corrugated sheet 32 and the slats `33 on the inner face of the sheet.

The sheet 32 projects beyond the slats and `skids and has the corners of the projecting margin cut away to form aps 35. A scoreline or folding line 36 is 'provided to separate the aps from the main body portion of the board and double scorelines 37 are provided outwardly from the lines 36 in parallel relation therewith to provide therebetween an end forming portion 35a for each flap when the flap is folded on itself.

The bottom assembly 12 is very rigid even though the central portion is composed of only a single thickness of corrugated board.

The slats 33 have notches 33a extending inwardly from the ends thereof. The notches 33a are formed in the outer sides of the slats 33 and sized to receive the lower ends of cleats 26 and 26a of the .body 11.

The cover assembly 13 -is composed of an outer sheet 40 of corrugated paper board, an inner plywood panel 41, and four wooden slats 42, 43, 44 and 45 on the inner face of the plywood panel 41 arranged in rectangular position in spaced parallel relationship just inwardly of the periphery of the plywood panel. Oppositely spaced side slats 43 and 45 are disposed partially within the end portions of slats 42 -and 44 providing notched recesses 43a and 45a.

The slats 42, 43, 44 and 45 yare united to the plywood panel 41 and to lthe corrugated board cover 40 by means lof fasteners, staples or the like 46. if desired, glue bonds can be used to unite the slats, plywood or paper cover.

As in ithe case of the paper cover 32 on the bottom assembly 12, the `top cover 40 projects beyond the slats and beyond the plywood panel41 and the corners @of the projecting portions are cut fout to form folding flaps 47.

Scorelines 48are provided inthe li'aps in spaced parallel relation adjacent Vthe periphery of the 'plywood panel 41 and double scorelines 49 are Vprovided in the aps outwardly from the scorelines 48 to forman end edge portion 47a therebetween and to accommodate the folding of the flaps upon themselves.

As shown in Figures 2 and 7, the crate 10 packages a refrigenator 50 with 4a flat bottom 51, a vertical back wall 52, a contoured top 53, Asubstantially at Opposite side walls 54, Vand Van open front, closed by a rounded door 55. The dat bottom 51 has bolt receiving apertures (not shown) and mounting bolts (not shown) which firmly unite the bottom "51 r'to the top of wooden skid X33 of the bottom 'crate assembly 12.

As shown in Figure 8, the inner face of rear wall 52 hlas nuts 56 (only one shown) secured as by welding or the like near the top 53. These nuts receive bol-ts 57 therein. The bolts extend through a pair of inclined spacers 53 and through a horizontal wooden crate bar 59 as shown in Figures 2, 7 and 8. rl`he crate bar 59 at its ends is bifurcated at 59a and notched at 59h to receive la substantially Z-shaped metal plate 60.

' Ycal cleatszrand .26a will :.t `iintothe notches.-33a.

'.aps 24 atthe bottom ofthe nb'ody l11 will be outturned As seen in Figures 8 and 9, the Z-shaped plate 60 has j an intermed-iate at portion a, `a wide portion 6017, extending laterally from `one end of the latter in one direction, and a narrow portion 60C projecting laterally from the lother end of the intermediate portion in the opposite direction. An aperture or bolt hole 61 in the lateral portion 6012 receives a bolt 5'7 when the plate 60 is inserted in the bifurcation 59a and notch 59b of crate bar 59.

When the refrigerator 50 is bolted on the bottom assembly 12 and when the crate bar 59 and spacers 58 are bolted to the rear wall of the refrigerator, the tubular body 11 is then adapted to be wrapped around the refrigerator `and to have its flap 22 stitched on `the outside of the side wall 1S by means of staples, wire stitching or the like 61, as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, the body 11 can be folded into tubular form and then dropped around the refrigerator 50. The bottoms of all the verti- The and mated on 'the tops' ofthe double flaps V35l of the bottom assembly as shown in Figure 7. The free ends of the double flaps 35 will then be inserted between the aps 24 and. the mlain ltbody VVto form van interlocked seam or j'oint which will be held-in locked position by the bottom strap 14.

In securing 'the .rear -wall 52 of the refrigerator to the body member 11, .the bolt 57 extends through the blolt hole 57a of the crate bar, the-aperture 61 of the Z-shaped plate member, an Aopening in spacer member 58, .and threadedly engages the nu-t .56 secured r-to .the inner face of the back wall 52fof the refrigerator 50. Noting Figure 8, the notched'end portion 59b-of the crate bar 59v coacts with the Z-shaped plate .6 0inrigidly .uniting the crate bar to cleat 26a .of the body l.member 11. Likewise, as shown in Figure 2, cleat. 26 engages ythe other end of the crate bar 59.

The cover or top assembly 13 is then deposited on the top of the tubularfbody 11 ywith'the flaps 47 thereof overlying the outturned aps'24 at the top of the body. The cleats `26 ofthe crate will fit in notches 43aprovided at the junction of cleats 42 and 43, and 43 and 44, while cleats 26a will fit'in notches 45a formed at the junction of cleats 42 Vand 45, -and 44 and T45. The double aps 47 of the cover are thereupon folded around the flaps 24 at the top of the body member and the top strap 15 will hold the assembly .in tight seamed relation as shown in Figure l. As therein shown, the double seam has the end walls 24a and 47a thereof provided by the portion between the double scorelines.

rThe bottomendsfof all the vertical cleats 26 and 26a rest on the'corrugatedlboards 32 and are positioned in the notches 33a of the '.bottomassembly 12, but the skids 31 underlie the corrugated paper at these areas so that thrust loads will be imparted directly through the cushioning paper to the wooden skids.

The top ends of the vertical cleats 26 and 26a directly abut the inner face of the veneer panel 41 positioned in the notches 43a and 45a. Thrust .forces are thus imparted to the substantial platform-like assembly but ex- Vte'rn'alV forces must Ibe applied through the corrugated paper cover'before reachingithe inner frame structure.

The'abutments afforded by the notches for the cleats and slats `provide thrust 'resisting stops which reinforce the cleats `to create a'framework which is extremely rigid and'capable ofsu'pporting. great'loads. At the same time, however, 'the refrigerator 50 His spaced from both the framework and the surrounding cover afforded by the corrugated paper tube and the top and bottom end covers. No damage of the refrigerator body due to rubbing action between the crate and body can occur. The refrigerator is rigidly cradled inside the crate and yet has contact with only the portions of the crate adjacent its upper rear end and on its bottom.

In stacking loaded crates of this invention, any tendency for the cleats to deflect under load will be resisted by the tensile strength of the corrugated paper, since the framework will tend to bow outwardly and thereby place the surrounding tube in tension. The plywood panel and the top assembly prevent puncturing of the top assembly by the vertical cleats.

In the event it is desired, in assembling the crate, to lower the crate over the cabinet structure (as shown in Figure 12), a modified tubular body member may be provided as shown in Figures 10 to 12. In the modification 11a, parts identical with parts shown in Figure 3 have been marked with the same reference numerals.

As shown in Figure 10, the tubular body member is identical with that of Figure 3 except for the addition of double scorelines 62 on front wall 19 and rear wall 21 which provide therebetween end forming portions 63 when the ap is folded over cleats 26 and 26a (see Figure l1). Also shown in Figure 1l Iis the flap 22 united before assembly of the cratek with cleat 26a. The tubular body member in this figure is shown assembled and folded ready for shipment. The principal `advantage of -this tubular member is the decrease in storage requirements. In assembling, the tubular member will be opened to rectangular form and lowered onto the packaged cabinet structure as shown by Figure 12.

In the event the bottom of the cabinet structure has bolt receiving apertures disposed inwardly beyond where they could be lined up with the mounting skids of the bottom crate assembly, an alternate arrangement 12a (Figure 13) can be provided. In the modification 12a, parts identical with parts shown in Figure 6 have been marked with the same reference numerals.

As shown in Figure 13, the platform skids are identical with the corrugated paper board 32 fastened thereover. Overlying the board 32 is an outer end notched slat 64 and spaced inwardly therefrom is a bolt receiving slat 65. This assembly utilizes narrower lumber and avoids the necessity for a wide single piece slat, reducing material cost and weight, yet retaining the required sturdy bottom assembly.

From the above description, it will be evident that this invention now provides a simplified, inexpensive, lightweight shipping carton or crate having a rigid Wooden framework composed of interlocking cleats and slats and a corrugated paper board envelope sealing the packaged goods against moisture and other foreign matter. The crate of this invention rigidly cradles the packaged goods in spaced relation from any of its walls so that the goods cannot be damaged by rubbing action.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the present invention may be effected within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of this invention.

We claim as our invention: A

1. A refrigerator crate comprising a rectangular skid platform fastened to the bottom of the refrigerator; a corrugated tubular board body member having a front wall, a rear wall, and opposite side walls; a cover member overlying the tubular member; vertical cleats secured to the inside of the tubular member at the corner forming portions of said member extending substantially the full length of the member so that they are supported by the platform at the lower ends and support the cover member at the upper ends; and an assembly attaching the back of the refrigerator to the vertical cleats of the tubular member, which comprises a crate bar having a greater depth thanwidth, said bar having bifurcated and notched opposite end portions, substantially Z-shaped members in the bifurcated end portions of the crate bar defining channels With the notched portions of the crate bar which channels receive the vertical cleat members, spacer members 'separating the crate bar and the refrigerator, and bolt means securing the assembly to the refrigerator.

2. A crate for structures, said crate having cleats on the inner face of the crate wall, including a crate bar for connecting the structure to the crate, said crate bar having ends andbeing notched and slotted at each end, a bracket at each end of said crate bar having a rst leg received in said slotted crate bar end and a second leg offset from the first leg and parallel thereto deiining with the corresponding notched crate bar end a channel receiving one of said cleats, and fasteners simultaneously attaching said structure to said bracket, crate 'bar and crate.

3. In a crate for an article, said crate having a crate bar for connecting said article to the crate, said crate bar having notched ends; the improvement of metal brackets having an intermediate portion to which is attached a pair of integral legs, said legs being oriented parallel to each other and extending in opposite directions from said intermediate portion; a crate bar fastener lsimultaneously attaching one of said legs to the crate bar and the article; a cleat having one of its longitudinal surfaces secured to the inside of the crate and having its other longitudinal surfaces engaged by said intermediate portion, the other of said legs, and one notch surface of one of said notched ends to form the connection between the crate bar and the crate.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 462,257 Ivers Nov. 3, 1891 512,091 Bennett Ian. 2, 1894 1,990,788 Kells Feb. 12, 1935 2,332,016 Schweller Oct. 19, 1943 2,249,269 Boeye July 15, 1944 2,442,651 Johnson June 1, 1948 2,488,692 Talbot Nov. 22, 1949 2,665,002 Baumann, et al. Jan. 5, 1954 2,700,457 Munroe Ian. 25, 1955 2,730,287 Mueller Jan. 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,817 Great Britain Aug. 21, 1911 409,467 Great Britain May 3, 1934 

